AB0374 EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF BIOTHERAPY IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: DATA FROM THE MOROCCAN RBSMR REGISTRY
Authors: H. Sahimi, N. Akasbi, I. El Mezouar, R. Abouqal, L. Achemlal, F. Allali, R. Bahiri, I. El Bouchti, A. El Maghraoui, I. Ghozlani, H. Hassikou, I. Hmamouchi, I. Linda, O. Mkinsi, R. Niamane, T. Harzy
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2022)

Background Limited data have been published on tolerance and efficacy of biotherapy in elderly patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) [1] Objectives To assess in real life the efficacy and safety of biological treatments in elderly patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to identify predictive factors for a good therapeutic response. Methods A cross-sectional observational study was conducted, the main data source was the Moroccan registry of biological therapies in rheumatic diseases (RBSMR registry). The duration of this study was 12 months. Patients included were all elderly patients (age &gt; 65 years old), presenting RA,according to ACR /EULAR classification criteria for RA 2010.Demographic and clinical characteristics, disease activity, radiographic damage and functional ability have been compared between two groups of patients: those with response to biotherapy and those without response to biotherapy. Clinical and biological tolerance of biotherapy was assessed at 12 months of follow-up in all patients Results Among 224 patients included in the RBSMR registry, 23 patients were over 65 years. The average age of patients was 69,57 years ±4.33 with a sex ratio women/man: 4.75. The mean duration of the disease was 964,79 weeks +/-588,8. RA was seropositive in 87% of patients, with positive anti-cyclic citrullinated antibodies (ACPAs) in 60.9%. It was erosive in 83.3%, with carpitis in 50% of our cases. Concerning biological features, the mean erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was 55,05 mm H1± 26 and the mean C - reactive protein (CRP) was 26.79 mg/l ± 18. The average initial disease activity score 28-ESR (DAS 28 ESR) was 4,08+/-1,60. The average 12-month DAS was 2,67+ /-1,49. The Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) average was 1.22. Concerning the treatment taken, 8.7% of patients were under Etanercept,4,3% were under Golimumab,69,6% were under Rituximab and 17,4% of patients received Tocilizumab. The analysis did not reveal any statistically significant difference between the two groups regarding demographic, clinical characteristics, disease activity, radiographic damage, biological feature and therapeutic data. 78.3% of our patients had a good tolerance to biotherapies, on the other hand 21.7% had presented undesirable effects. Conclusion RA is a common and even more common disease in the elderly, our study as well as The literature data confirms the efficacy of biotherapy and its good tolerance in our Moroccan patients with RA. It represents a therapeutic alternative of choice. Our results further encourage its use in our Moroccan context. References [1]STE´PHANE GENEVAY et al. Tolerance and Effectiveness of Anti–Tumor Necrosis Factor Therapies in Elderly Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Population-Based Cohort Study Arthritis &amp; Rheumatism. American College of Rheumatology 2007 Disclosure of Interests None declared